Advocacy & Safety - Git orff mah ruds! (UK specific)

Seems like a childish whine from petulant motorist, i.e., "They're not paying 100% attention to me therefore they're not paying enough attention."

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CYCLISTS MUST PAY ROAD TAX

09:00 - 07 August 2008

I Think it's about time we all realised that bicycles are road-going vehicles and should be subject to the same rigours that other vehicles are.They should be subject to a road tax (albeit minimal), basic insurance and an MoT.

Riders should also be given instructions on using a bicycle on main roads. This used to apply in schools, but seems to have fallen by the wayside.

In many towns and cities, special lanes are reserved for cyclists, which reduces the road space for paying vehicles.

For this privilege, I feel cyclists should pay a minimum contribution for this facility.

Many cycles and riders are frankly dangerous. A good example recently was when a young girl was killed by a cyclist on a pavement - all he got was a fine. If he had been driving a car, he would have got a custodial sentence.

Today, I have seen two young men riding what looked like well-maintained cycles but in an irresponsible manner which could easily have caused serious injury on a main road.

They may have got away with it, but others may not have been so lucky.

I realise we live in a so-called green society, but a bicycle is a machine which, if not properly maintained and correctly ridden, can cause as much carnage as a motor car.

How many children do we see riding cycles without any form of protective equipment?

A child on a bike in collision with car at say 30mph is far more likely to suffer serious injury than a pedestrian, due to the machinery underneath them.

I'm not saying that kids riding bikes in quiet areas need to be subject to these rules, but anyone using a bicycle on busy roads should satisfy basic requirements.

My children are all grown-up, but if I was a responsible parent and one of my children wanted to ride on the highways, I'd certainly want them to be safe by ensuring they were fit to ride the bike, had adequate protection, and the bike was adequately covered and in roadworthy condition.

G B Williams

Park Street, Taibach,

Port Talbot

I realise we live in a so-called green society, but a bicycle is a machine which, if not properly maintained and correctly ridden, can cause as much carnage as a motor car.


It sounds like this guy needs to retake basic physics classes....

It sounds like this guy needs to retake basic physics classes....

It's fallout from http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=446519 this story. Drunk gets hit by cyclist therefore all cyclists are bad.

It's fallout from http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=446519 this story. Drunk gets hit by cyclist therefore all cyclists are bad.

Yeah, I remember reading that one too. It's tragic, to be sure, but it's still confusing how anyone can say a 25lb bike can cause the same damage as a 2500lb+ vehicle. I don't know about you, but I'd much rather a bike hit me than a car.

It's unfortunate, but I don't see how it gives this guy the right to spout ridiculous opinion as fact.

Then again....the world is a screwy place. We seldom put ourselves in other people's shoes and try to look at things from a different perspective.

...the world is a screwy place...

Your world, not my wo.....oh, wait.....that'd be my world too ;)

^^^^^^How are your roads funded over there?

^^^^^^How are your roads funded over there?

From the general taxation fund. That is, there's no such thing as "road tax". There's a vehicle excise duty charged by weight and emissions (bicycles are zero rated as they're zero emission). There's fuel (gas/petrol, diesel, etc) duty and so on. All of it gets put into the same general fund and could pay for any of healthcare, schools, civil servants, policing and, if there's any left, roads.

An important question to ask anyone proposing a bicycle tax is: How on earth will you ensure collection? Moreover would it be worth the administrative costs, bearing in mind there would have to be a new government department? ;-). The present system for motor vehicles is under strain, with approximately 10% of vehicles (a figure I remember from somewhere) being unregistered, untaxed and, therefore, uninsured - I just can't see bicycle taxation being taken seriously...

Fun with statistics time: the average British cyclist owns more cars than the average British car driver. So, the reality is, they've already paid, and paid more.

Fun with statistics time: the average British cyclist owns more cars than the average British car driver. So, the reality is, they've already paid, and paid more.

I read somewhere that Americans own more bikes per capita than any other industrialized nation... But we ride them the least.

The scary part is that if the family started a campaign to get cyclists to have to pay tax, wear helmets, use bike lanes ect, the current government would seriously consider such steps.

Sadly it's just another ill informed driver, I wonder how he'd cope with me in the middle of the lane on the A45. I'm sure he'd have a fit seeing me riding the middle of the middle lane at certain points too, even though the left lane is for the motorway, or the airport or many other interesting places that aren't where I'm going.

Ok,I'd pay road tax. No seriously,I'd pay an annual fee and put a disc on my bike.

However,I would expect in return that I be accorded all the respect as other road vehicles. IAW,I would want drivers to treat me as an equal,and police to enforce this. With what I deal with every day,I'd be willing to pay a small fee to ensure I started to get treated right.

"a bicycle is a machine which, if not properly maintained and correctly ridden, can cause as much carnage as a motor car."

That's the point where I was laughing too much to continue reading.

Seems like a childish whine from petulant motorist, i.e., "They're not paying 100% attention to me therefore they're not paying enough attention."

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CYCLISTS MUST PAY ROAD TAX

09:00 - 07 August 2008

A good example recently was when a young girl was killed by a cyclist on a pavement - all he got was a fine. If he had been driving a car, he would have got a custodial sentence.


YEP 100% RIGHT IF SOME DOES THIS THEY DESERVRE TO BE PUNISHED 4 THERE ACTIONS

How many children do we see riding cycles without any form of protective equipment?

A child on a bike in collision with car at say 30mph is far more likely to suffer serious injury than a pedestrian, due to the machinery underneath them.


AT 30MPH IT DOESNT MATTER IF YOUR ON A BILKE OR NOT CAUSE A CHILD IS USUALLY UNDER THE CAR

I'm not saying that kids riding bikes in quiet areas need to be subject to these rules, but anyone using a bicycle on busy roads should satisfy basic requirements.

SO WHY IS IT OK FOR SOME TO BREAK THE LAW AND NOT OTHERS




Port Talbot

This guy is not only a tool but a tool with no idea
sorry about the qoute not sure on multiple qoutes

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CYCLISTS MUST PAY ROAD TAX

09:00 - 07 August 2008

I Think it's about time we all realised that bicycles are road-going vehicles and should be subject to the same rigours that other vehicles are.They should be subject to a road tax (albeit minimal), basic insurance and an MoT.


As discussed plenty of times here. The road tax would be so minimal for a bike that it would cost the state more to setup and run such an organization than they would ever actually get from the tax revenue. You should be glad that they don't make us pay road tax as the roads would probably be in even worse shape.


Riders should also be given instructions on using a bicycle on main roads. This used to apply in schools, but seems to have fallen by the wayside.


This is probably the only thing we are going to agree on. Anyone using the roads should be well educated on how to operate whatever mode of transportation they use correctly and safely.



In many towns and cities, special lanes are reserved for cyclists, which reduces the road space for paying vehicles.

For this privilege, I feel cyclists should pay a minimum contribution for this facility.


If this is your biggest gripe then I would gladly get rid of the bike lanes and ride 15mph down the middle of the lane your driving in.



Many cycles and riders are frankly dangerous. A good example recently was when a young girl was killed by a cyclist on a pavement - all he got was a fine. If he had been driving a car, he would have got a custodial sentence.


Spoken by someone who obviously didn't even make an attempt at research. How many times have we seen a biker get run over by a car only for the driver to get off with a small fine?
Also in my experience automobile drivers are far worse and far more dangerous that cyclists. How about we focus on improving their driving first. When hit & runs, drunk driving, and involuntary manslaughter becomes a major problem with cyclists, then we can talk.



Today, I have seen two young men riding what looked like well-maintained cycles but in an irresponsible manner which could easily have caused serious injury on a main road.

They may have got away with it, but others may not have been so lucky.


How is this any worse that someone driving without a seat belt? If people want to take their lives into their own hands who are you to stop them?



I realise we live in a so-called green society, but a bicycle is a machine which, if not properly maintained and correctly ridden, can cause as much carnage as a motor car.


Do you have any evidence whatsoever that could even come close to showing that an under-maintained bicycle is a 10th as dangerous as a well maintained car?



How many children do we see riding cycles without any form of protective equipment?

A child on a bike in collision with car at say 30mph is far more likely to suffer serious injury than a pedestrian, due to the machinery underneath them.


hmmmm. a 30 mph car running into a 10 mph cyclists = a 20mph collision.
A 30mph car running into a stationary pedestrian = a 30 mph collision.

Yea I can see how a person on a bike would suffer a more serious injury.



I'm not saying that kids riding bikes in quiet areas need to be subject to these rules, but anyone using a bicycle on busy roads should satisfy basic requirements.


You're right, but who's going to enforce it? People should properly maintain their bikes so they are in safe working order, but that doesn't mean the government should waste money in making people maintain their bikes. When was the last time a cyclists killed a motorist because their chain was too rusty?



My children are all grown-up, but if I was a responsible parent and one of my children wanted to ride on the highways, I'd certainly want them to be safe by ensuring they were fit to ride the bike, had adequate protection, and the bike was adequately covered and in roadworthy condition.


Unfortunately, many parents don't take as strong an interest in their child's lives as you do. If/when I have kids I will always make sure that they know the rules of the road and ride as safely and courteously as possible. Not a whole lot you can do about bad parents though.



G B Williams

Park Street, Taibach,

Port Talbot

Y'know, the one thing I like about all these proposals for "Gas Tax Holidays" is that we will be able to throw that argument in their faces. They just passed a statewide holiday in Alaska.

The scary part is that if the family started a campaign to get cyclists to have to pay tax, wear helmets, use bike lanes ect, the current government would seriously consider such steps.

Sadly it's just another ill informed driver, I wonder how he'd cope with me in the middle of the lane on the A45. I'm sure he'd have a fit seeing me riding the middle of the middle lane at certain points too, even though the left lane is for the motorway, or the airport or many other interesting places that aren't where I'm going.

By "the family" do you mean the royal family, or the family of the girl that got hit by a cyclist?

Ok,I'd pay road tax. No seriously,I'd pay an annual fee and put a disc on my bike.

However,I would expect in return that I be accorded all the respect as other road vehicles. IAW,I would want drivers to treat me as an equal,and police to enforce this. With what I deal with every day,I'd be willing to pay a small fee to ensure I started to get treated right.
Yeah. If I was paying a road tax on my bike, I'd take the lane, AND KEEP IT. :thumb:

Seems like a childish whine from petulant motorist, i.e., "They're not paying 100% attention to me therefore they're not paying enough attention."

http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=161820&command=displayContent&sourceNode=161501&contentPK=21241040&folderPk=88463&pNodeId=161414

CYCLISTS MUST PAY ROAD TAX

09:00 - 07 August 2008

I Think it's about time we all realised that bicycles are road-going vehicles and should be subject to the same rigours that other vehicles are.They should be subject to a road tax (albeit minimal), basic insurance and an MoT.

Riders should also be given instructions on using a bicycle on main roads. This used to apply in schools, but seems to have fallen by the wayside.

In many towns and cities, special lanes are reserved for cyclists, which reduces the road space for paying vehicles.

For this privilege, I feel cyclists should pay a minimum contribution for this facility.

Many cycles and riders are frankly dangerous. A good example recently was when a young girl was killed by a cyclist on a pavement - all he got was a fine. If he had been driving a car, he would have got a custodial sentence.

Today, I have seen two young men riding what looked like well-maintained cycles but in an irresponsible manner which could easily have caused serious injury on a main road.

They may have got away with it, but others may not have been so lucky.

I realise we live in a so-called green society, but a bicycle is a machine which, if not properly maintained and correctly ridden, can cause as much carnage as a motor car.

How many children do we see riding cycles without any form of protective equipment?

A child on a bike in collision with car at say 30mph is far more likely to suffer serious injury than a pedestrian, due to the machinery underneath them.

I'm not saying that kids riding bikes in quiet areas need to be subject to these rules, but anyone using a bicycle on busy roads should satisfy basic requirements.

My children are all grown-up, but if I was a responsible parent and one of my children wanted to ride on the highways, I'd certainly want them to be safe by ensuring they were fit to ride the bike, had adequate protection, and the bike was adequately covered and in roadworthy condition.

G B Williams

Park Street, Taibach,

Port Talbot

If people are going to write this, why not post the full address.

GERALD B WILLIAMS
36 PARK STREET
PORT TALBOT
WEST GLAMORGAN
SA131TD